


Things I've Learned

by witch_of_the_black_rose (faymarie)



Category: Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Spooky, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27261472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faymarie/pseuds/witch_of_the_black_rose
Summary: Inspired by a creepy prompt I found on Pinterest called Things I've Learned.Garfield finds himself in a new town wanting to start over. He meets a young woman named Raven, who knows more about the town than she lets on. People who try to leave end up in accidents or worse. Some things are best left unsaid.
Relationships: Beastboy/Raven, Garfield Logan/Raven
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Things I've Learned

**Author's Note:**

> Beastboy is known as Garfield in this fic only because it flowed better since this isn't part of the main series. Starfire will be addressed as Star for the same reason. Cyborg is used as a nickname. This is done to refer the characters as actual people instead of their cartoon names.

The morning was spent taking a shower despite the unsettling noise of air coming through the pipes. The atmosphere of the cabin became lighter as Garfield started to truly wake up. The cuckoo clock appeared less menacing even though the faceless figurines were once again staring at him. He swore up and down last night they had gone back inside the clock, despite the hands not appearing to function anymore. The noises that had woken him up during the night remained unexplained. Everything was where Garfield had left it. His car and garbage cans remained untouched. He was about to assume it was the neighbors when he noticed the next cabin was a decent walk away from his. 

It was also vacant. 

Garfield shrugged it off. He was extremely tired last night. The new town was a lot to take in despite the abundant amount of thin pine trees and mountains in the distance. He had taken the exit by mistake, once again blaming it on how exhausted he was from driving. The car burning on the side of the road was disturbing, and so was the mysteriousness of how the clocks in his cabin had stopped working. He decided not to put it all in the back of his mind, and focus on deciding if this was the place he wanted to start over. 

The library was his next stop. So far the town had woken up and traffic was heavier with people going to work. The thought inspired him to search for jobs in the area just to make sure he could actually live here. The Wi-Fi was free with no need for a library card. Garfield was relieved since he didn't want to purchase something that wasn't permanent. Things were touch and go at this point. He was also unsettled by the librarian's need to display a porcelain doll on the counter that appeared to stare directly into his soul. 

It's just a stupid doll, he thought while scrolling through a generic job website. He internally noted he would also throw hands with it if he had the opportunity. He had seen way too many movies on supposedly haunted dolls. 

Speaking of dolls...

A young woman with black hair sat down with a pile of old books. The florescent lights made her pale skin glow. Garfield was instantly intrigued by her crystal necklaces and black dress. He felt like he had to talk to her. He had been driving himself nuts being alone. He got up saving his job search for later and approached her. He was about three feet away from her when he found himself tripping over a pulled out chair. 

The girl closed her book, covered the title with her purse, and stared at him unamused. Her irises revealed such a deep purple, Garfield forgot he had literally just fallen ass over tit. 

"Are you okay?" she asked. Her voice held a tone in between amused and annoyed. Garfield couldn't find words as he felt infatuation and embarrassment all at the same time. "Such an intellectual conversation," she remarked before he could get words out. 

This bitch right here.

"First of all, I was trying to say hi," Garfield said as he picked himself up. The young woman continued to look at him. 

"Interesting greeting," she deadpanned again. She didn't look uncomfortable. It was more of a 'why are you talking to me' expression. She gave up on interacting and pulled another book she had placed on the side of the table. 

Garfield took note of her unwillingness to talk, but it didn't stop him from pulling out the chair in front of her and sitting down. She completely ignored him. 

"I like your necklaces," he complimented her in hopes of smoothing things over. 

"And I like your ability to properly use a chair this time," she said without missing a beat. Garfield suppressed a laugh and moved his chair backwards to give his new acquaintance space. 

"I didn't mean to bother you, but I'm kind of new here. I was looking for jobs in the area," he rambled. His nerves got the best of him, so he stood up and turned to walk away. 

"Black tourmaline and hematite," the girl said before he could step away. "They are for protection." Every muscle in Garfield's body froze.

"Protection against what?" he looked back at her. She was truly looking back at him now, with regret in her eyes. Maybe she wasn't used to others approaching her. 

"The unseen," she answered, fidgeting with the stones on her necklaces. "What you don't see is what you should be worried about, but if you are looking for a job I work at the aquarium if you want to apply." 

Garfield felt himself beginning to smile, despite the yet again eeriness of what his new friend said. 

"What name do I put if they ask who referred me?" he asked. He leaned his torso on the table and rested his hands on the edges. He felt relieved he hadn't walked away. 

"Raven," she said and he could have swore she was starting to smile too. He offered his hand to her to introduce himself. His heart skipped a beat before she took it and accepted the offer to shake his hand. 

"Garfield," he introduced himself. "Like the cat," he added awkwardly. He was going to overthink that one later. 

"It was nice meeting you, but I need to get ready for work. You can stop by if you want to. It's the only aquarium in town about two blocks from here," Raven told him as she started packing away her books. 

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, walking back to his previous seat. He didn't hear if she responded because his eye caught the creepy ass doll from earlier. It appeared to be turned around. "Hey did someone move that doll?" he looked back at Raven, but she had already left.  
...  
Two hours passed before Garfield drove to the aquarium. He wasted time driving around the town and taking in the detail. Signs appeared frequently advertising the forest. Other than that, everyone who lived there went on with their lives. He couldn't focus much, because Raven's words still chilled him to the bone. He found himself curious on what she thought she needed protection from. 

What you don't see is what you should be worried about. 

Sirens jarred him from his thoughts as he was passed by a firetruck. He peaked in his rear view mirror and saw smoke coming from the side of the road where the exit to the town was. It appeared a car had caught fire, but he didn't have time to see if anyone was trapped. He brushed it off since obviously someone had already called the fire department. He found himself concerned if it was Raven, but the aquarium was far off from where the accident was. She said earlier she was going to work. 

Garfield found himself rushing to the aquarium out of concern. He literally just met her, but she appeared too nice and pretty to not worry. He felt himself drawn to her like a magnet. He parked his car after what seemed like forever. The building appeared to be an average size for an aquarium. The fresh paint gave the rest of the town a bit of life and normalcy to it. He was already picturing what it would be like being Raven's coworker, her smart ass mouth and his urge to....

Not now, I'm here to apply for a job, he thought. 

The cold handles of the door were a relief for his sweaty hands. Garfield assumed it was nervousness from the potential of a job interview. His plan for starting over was becoming more realistic as the day went on, even if he was staying for the soul reason of a certain violet eyed young lady. 

The aquarium was wasn't exactly busy, but it wasn't dead either. A handful of families and groups were already inside. The gift shop was visible from the ticket stand and in the distance there was a pool possibly filled with whatever sea life they had. Raven wasn't hard to find. She looked bored standing there taking tickets and allowing people to enter. They made eye contact and her mood seemed to shift upwards, even if it was a little bit. He skipped the ticket booth and immediately got in line to speak to her. 

"I wasn't sure where to apply at," Garfield admitted when he got closer to her. He was the last person in line, so he didn't worry about holding anyone else up. 

"You actually apply online," Raven told him. "I'm just kidding, we have paper applications," she corrected herself before he could respond. 

"For a moment, I thought you said to come apply just so you could see me again," Garfield teased her. 

"Don't push it," she warned, but there was a playful hint in her eyes. It was much different than the Raven he had met a few hours ago in the library and he liked it. 

"I should have bought a ticket," he thought out loud. 

"To see what? Me and the two goldfish in the back?" Raven rolled her eyes. She reached under the podium she was standing at and gave him a few sheets of paper. "I'll get my manager when you are done filling them out. We just opened not too long ago and need more staff." 

"And apparently more fish, huh?" Garfield winked at her. He saw her eye twitch and knew the goal of getting on her nerves had been accomplished. Another staff member approached 

Raven and relieved her as he was glancing over the application she had given him. In the back of his mind, he was thinking about how much fun it would be to give her a taste of her own savage come backs. 

"I'm going outside for a cigarette. You can follow me since you can't seem to stay away," Raven said as she headed for the exit. Garfield walked behind her and grabbed the door handle before she could reach it. She mumbled a quiet thank you as he held it open for her. She immediately dug in her pocket for a light, lit her cigarette, and stared out into the busy streets. 

"I keep seeing advertisements for a forest. Is that worth checking out?" Garfield asked, folding his arms and leaning against the side of the building. 

"I wouldn't," Raven exhaled smoke. She flicked her cigarette despite it being newly lit. 

"Why not?" he pressed, looking up at the sky. 

"There's some things that shouldn't be talked about," she leaned over as if she was spilling a secret affair. Garfield took her word for it, and let the subject drop. "So, what made you come here?" Raven asked, inhaling smoke. 

"I missed my exit," Garfield answered honestly. He heard the closest thing to a laugh come Raven. 

"That's it?" she replied. "You weren't sold by the vast amount of tourist attractions we have to offer?" 

"What are you trying to say?" he asked, unfolding his arms. Raven shook her head. 

"Nothing really," she said. "I was just making conversation. I don't normally get approached by random strangers." Garfield was right about that part at least. The town seemed too conservative for Raven's tastes. "Why did you move in the first place?" Raven broke the silence. "If you don't mind me asking." 

"I sort of just got out of the foster care system," Garfield told her. He took a seat on the steps leading up to the entrance. 

"Oh shit," Raven cursed. "You were in foster care too?"

"Yea until now," he continued. "Sorry for being so open about it, I haven't had a full conversation with anyone since I left." 

"I'm not that popular either," Raven put out her cigarette and laid it in the ash tray. She sat down next to him, their arms were a few inches apart. "I had a friend here, but he's kind of distracted now." She rolled her eyes. "It's whatever." 

"What made you move here?" Garfield asked, turning the tables around. 

"I was kind of drawn to this place," she replied. "It just kind of pulled me in and I ended up staying." The conversation dropped for a few moments. Raven was the first one to stand and Garfield forgot she was still at work. 

"I guess I'll work on this and bring it back," Garfield said, watching Raven walk towards the entrance. 

"I'll be here," Raven answered before disappearing through the door.  
...  
Garfield filled out everything on the papers and returned them to Raven. She immediately found her manager and a few minutes later, Garfield found himself with an interview scheduled for the next morning. He ended up waiting outside with Raven's permission because she had invited him over for dinner. He was surprised about all the events that happened the first day in the strange town. After the strange noises throughout his first night and mysterious events, he was content knowing he met someone like Raven.  
He ended up following Raven's car to her small house not far from the cabin rentals. When he walked through her front door, he was greeted with a couch in the living room decorated with a Beatles throw blanket. The house looked liked it was furnished in almost the same way as his cabin, with living room and dining room area. At least the clock on her kitchen wall appeared to work. What really caught his eye was her record player. She allowed him to search through her music selection as she turned on the television and wondered into the kitchen. 

The place was too quiet with all the lights off. It was the same unsettling feeling he felt when he spent his first night alone. He couldn't put his finger on what was making him feel so off. The news broadcast mentioned the car accident he had passed earlier before he went to the aquarium. 

"Does stuff like that usually happen around here?" he asked Raven, who was getting food started in the kitchen. The mention of chicken curry over rice had made his stomach growl earlier. 

"Stuff like?" she responded but before she could answer, the record player blasted Maxwell's Silver Hammer from The Beatles on full volume, causing both of them to jump. The scare caused the conversation to drop, but Garfield had a gut feeling Raven didn't want to talk about the town in general. Instead they talked about things they had in common like growing up in the foster care system, music, movies, all of it. 

"I really feel like you should show me the forest one day," Garfield reminded her. She gave him a blank stare and again, he got chills. 

"We can go, but you have to promise to listen to what I tell you," she responded, her voice serious. Right after she made the statement, a plate fell from her cabinet and shattered on the floor. Garfield chose to ignore it. He was ready to go home as much as he wanted to stay and talk with Raven for hours. He had a job interview to prepare for and didn't want to over sleep. 

"I'm not sure what you mean, but sure," he agreed. The forest didn't come in conversation after that. 

Getting back to his cabin seemed like it took more time than it should have. He was overwhelmed by the events of the day and just wanted his bed. Garfield laid down and stared at the cuckoo clock on the wall. He was probably over tired, but he felt watched. He slept throughout the night without any disturbances from outside. Except for the fact, the faceless figurines in the clock had gone back inside and the only way to tell time was by checking his phone.

**Author's Note:**

> I finished this chapter at 4am. Sorry for any spelling errors or if the ending felt rushed.


End file.
